The Nation Newspaper

Tag: unemployed

  • Taxi scheme for Niger unemployed graduates

    Taxi scheme for Niger unemployed graduates

    The Niger State government, through the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P), has introduced an executive city taxi scheme for unemployed graduates.

    Tagged “Talba City Taxi,” it will boost intra-city transportation and rekindle entrepreneurship among unemployed graduates

    Investigation reveals that last year, the state had over 17,000 unemployed graduates despite the graduate engagement scheme introduced some years ago by the government.

    The scheme, inaugurated with brand new 100 Kia cars, will be a continuous government’s intervention to address unemployment and boost intra-state transport system.

    At its inauguration, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said government would subsidise each car with N1 million as encouragement to beneficiaries.

    A N3.4 million car was given to every beneficiary for N2.4 million, with repayment period of three years after a grace of six months.

    The scheme was advertised for interested unemployed university and polytechnic graduates to apply. Applications received were subjected to thorough screening and due diligence by the directorate of SURE-P after which100 applicants were successful for the first phase of the scheme.

    At present, the cars ply major roads of Minna, the Niger State capital driven by those who were unemployed graduates.

    For Usman Maigari a 2011 graduate of Estate Management from Federal University of Technology, Minna the graduate city taxi scheme was a dream realised.

    He said: “After the service year, I had submitted numerous application letters for employment in both public and private sectors without any success. It got to a point that I got fed up because I have what it takes to be employed but no job came my way. I even lost hope in the system. I have to depend on people around for my livelihood.

    “When I got a phone call that I was one of the successful applicants for the Talba City Taxi Graduate Scheme, I was very happy, especially when I was asked to come for my car. This scheme was all I needed to break the jinx of joblessness. Today, my status has changed from an unemployed graduate to an executive taxi driver.”

    On whether driving a cab was not too demeaning for a graduate, Maigari said: “No, it is not demeaning. I was taught entrepreneurship in the university; I know the importance of self-reliance and to be an employer of labour. Driving a N3.4 million is not demeaning.

    “As a graduate from a humble background, how would I have raised such money to buy this kind of car? I am very proud of being an executive taxi driver. I make returns to myself. I command respect even from the commuters because majority of them know that we are not just drivers but owners of our cars and they accord us some respect. The experience is awesome.”

    Commending the state government and SURE-P for helping them become self-reliant, Maigari said: “I am very grateful to the governor for coming up with the scheme. Within few weeks of operation my life has changed. I no longer look up to people for support, rather people come to me for assistance.

    “I have resolved to ensure that the car is always maintained.

     

  • Unemployed grads develop e-UTME software

    Candidates who have chosen the Computer-Based Test (CBT) option for the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can prepare better with a new software which its creators have promised would improve their computer skills and test their knowledge.

    The developers, four unemployed graduates, said Avalanche UTME has the capacity to test the candidate’s ability for the UTME and post -UTME in a simulated environment.

    They are: Samson Olaniyi (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso), Kolawole Fajobi (Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan), and Ayoola Falola and Tolulope Ogundiji (both of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA. Speaking at the launch of the software, Olaniyi, who is the Head of Operations for the quartet, said they developed the software under a company they registered, Avalanche Nigeria, to assist prospective candidates get prepared in a simulated environment that mimics the actual examination hall.

    Olaniyi said a lot of candidates fail woefully when faced with a computer asking them questions although they may be brilliant. “If such applicants are not groomed on the basic usage and function of computers, hundreds of thousands of them, especially those in the rural areas, will fail and may never see the inside of a tertiary educational institution,” he said.

    Explaining features of the software, Fajobi said the new product comes in two forms-Student Version and Enterprise Version.

    He said: “The Student Version is for home or individual use while the Enterprise Version is to be used by schools and business centres for large number of pupils at the same time and you don’t need internet connection to use them.

    “The Enterprise Version will enable schools and computer centres create an examination environment for applicants who come for the simulated test. Applicants will buy a pass or pin code. Once they enter the password they will be asked for their subject combination and later questions will come out.

    “After three hours and 15 minutes which is the standard time for UTME examination conducted by JAMB, the computer will stop displaying the questions and results and total marks scored by the applicants will be displayed in three seconds.”

    On his part, Ayoola said that the e-examination software was the first product of the group.

    Also speaking, Ogundiji said the group wants the public to know that it had come out with an effective solution to preparing for e-examination, especially the UTME and post-UTME, and appealed to schools, cyber cafe and prospective dealers to try the product.

  • Firm holds career fair for unemployed graduates

    Firm holds career fair for unemployed graduates

    Hopes for a better future rose for unemployed graduate job seekers in Lagos as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) organised its maiden career fair for them.

    For most of the participants at the fair who came from different parts of the country, it was a rewarding experience to meet with employers of labour at the interactive forum, who willingly revealed to them the ‘secrets’ of securing jobs in their establishments.

    The fair, aside from offering the applicants opportunity to interact with employers of labour and have an on-the-spot assessment, also availed fresh graduates the opportunity of acquainting themselves with self-enhancing skills.

    Some of the participants who spoke with Newsextra during the one-day session held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos said that they were overwhelmed by revelations at the fair.

    One of the participants, Deborah Ojeabulu who is a graduate of Accountancy said that she had received assurances from three reputable organisations that she would be invited for interview.

    She said: “I know the number of times I have submitted my Curriculum Vitae to firms for job offers. I have never received any response. At a point, I began to feel that something was wrong with me. But my coming here today opened my eyes to a lot of things I did not know before now.

    “I learnt how to write a CV that is fit for a purpose. I also got some tips from the human resource managers of the companies I have interest in.

    “After that, I was assessed on the spot and they have promised to invite me for in-house interview.

    “So, with the information I have gained here today, I can tell you that I am better positioned to know the right answers to questions; know what to do at any point. The least I can say right now is ‘bye bye to unemployment’ and a very big thanks to ACCA.”

    Continuing, she said: “Really, it is hard to get this kind of opportunity, unless for the very privileged few in our society. So, I really appreciate ACCA for doing this for some of us who would not have had the opportunity. I now have contacts of the human resource personnel of these going concerns. So, it was indeed worth the while.”

    Another participant, Joke Adebayo said she received tips on how she can fit in.

    She said: “Out of the three companies I interacted with here, two told me they employ strictly first-class graduates and the third gave me tips on how I can fit in.

    “I think the forum has been useful. I would not have known that some of the organisations I have been sending my CVs to are sticklers for first-class graduates. I also had the opportunity of meeting the recruitment personnel of these multi-nationals and big firms one-on-one. So, to me, it was a great experience.”

    The Country Manager, ACCA, Mrs. Toyin Ademola said that the fair was the organisation’s way of giving back to the society because the organisation has realised that it was not easy for young job seekers to meet with their prospective employers.

    “We have discovered that a lot of Nigerian students have the technical skills but sometimes lack the ability to meet with potential employers. Many of the employers of labour want to talk with either fresh graduates from universities or technical colleges.

    “So, we decided, as part of our corporate social responsibilities, to organise this fair where employers of labour who are our partners will interact with these young ones.

    “There are jobs out there. Employers of labour are looking for workers but most job seekers do not have the right skills, neither do they know what their potential employers are looking out for.

    “ACCA recognised this avenue as an opportunity to offer both the potential employers and job seekers the opportunity of meeting themselves.

    “In trying to link the professional students with their employers, we discovered that they lack the soft skill to excel. That is why we brought in recruitment consultants as well to teach them what to do; how to write CVs and how to respond to questions at interviews, among others.

    “We intend to let people know they have the opportunity of getting a good job; a situation that will help in reducing the rate of unemployment,” she said.

    Ademola, who said the maiden edition, was strictly for graduates of Banking and Finance noted that the organisation decided to start with them because that was its area of specialty.

    “We have been doing this in-house for ACCA student members for a while. But this is the first time we are bringing the employers together as well as involving graduates of finance who are non-members.

    “You can see that everywhere is busy. We have some students from Abia and Benue states as well as Abuja. We also have some graduates from Lagos. This is an evidence that our efforts are appreciated; it shows this is actually the avenue young graduates need and it makes me happy that the students are appreciating our efforts,” she said.

    In a chat with Newsextra, Director, sub-Saharan Africa of ACCA, Jamil Ampomah, said that the fair was geared towards bringing employers and potential employees together in a bid to reducing unemployment in the country.

    “As an organisation, ACCA is in a position to bring the parties together so that employers looking for workers can meet with job seekers. We feel it is a way through which we can help in reducing the rate of employment in the country. It will also ensure that these employers assess the candidates and possibly offer those that fit into their requirements jobs,” he said.

    Among the firms that partnered with ACCA in the fair were United Bank for Africa (UBA), KPMG, Oye Dynamix, Price Water Cooper (PWC), United African Company (UAC), Airtel and Mansard.